Electric coupler interlock



Sept. 28 1926.

I T. H. THOMAS ELECTRIC COUPLER INTVERLOCK Filed July 26 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR THOMAS HTI'HOMAS ATTORNEY Sept.- 28 1926.

' T. H. THOMAS ELECTRI C COUPLER INTERLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NW MW 00 m MD mw O 0 w 9v m Mm m 0W 5 k 2 TV Q 9 i9 w @m 0 H 5 u kn 0 m0 0 t r N Yv v m om ow \N N1 Nmf A Y M m o R R H o 0 T. W T m m S E m WM m Patented Sept. 28, 192E.

iris.

THOMAS H. THOMAS, OF EDGEVJ'OOD, PENNSYLVANIA, .ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDIN G, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

Application fiieg July as,

This invention relates to car, air, and electric couplers, and more particularly to an interlock between the'car and air coupler and the electric coupler.

Tight lock carand air couplers,- of the character disclosed in the prior patent of George Vvestinghouse, No. 708,7et7, dated September 9, 1902, have a relative lateral as ell as longitudinal movement when counterpart coupler heads engage in the act of coupling and where an electric train wire coupler is associated with the car and air coupler, the electric contacts should not engage until the car and air coupler heads are in the fully coupled position, as otherwise breakage or damage to the electric contacts is liable to occur, by reason or the relative lateral movement o1 the car and air coupler in the act of coupling.

The principal objectof my invention is to provide an interlock mechanism for ensuring that the, car and air coupler heads will be in the'full coupled position before the electric contacts can be projected into engagement with the correspondin contacts of a counterpart electric coupler head.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic view, in section, of portions of a car and air coupler with my invention appliedthereto; and Fig. 2 a horizontal section of counterpart electric train line couplers in the'coupled position.

In the drawing, only so much of the car and air coupler is shown as is deemed necessary to illustrate the application and operation of my invention, reference being had to the Westinghouse patent, hereinbetore mentioned, for a full description of the tight lock coupler.

in this type oi coupler, a pivoted locking lever 1 is provided which is adapted to bear against a surface 2 oi'f'a projectionf3 of a counterpartcoupler head to hold the couplers'securely clamped together when in the coupled position. v V 7 In the car and air coupler are passages for establishing communication through the coupling for the train pipe lines, such as the passage 4, which is connected with the brake pipe 5, the outlet opening of the passage being provided with a gasket 6 adapted to engage a corresponding gasket of a counterpart coupler in the coupled position.

A valve 7 controls communication through ELECTRIC COUPLER INTERLOCK.

1921. Serial No. 487,770.

the passage at and said valve is operated to open communication by the engagement of a tappet 8, attached to the valve, with a corrisponding tappet in a counterpart coup er;

p in order .to illustrate one application of my invention, 1 have shown the tripping portion of an electric train line coupler such as covered by the pending application 'of F. Woernley, Serial No. 474,061, filed June 1, 1921, and comprising a piston 9, sub ect on one side to the pressure of a spring 10 and operated by fluid pressure supplied to the opposite side for tripping corresponding contacts of a counterpart coupier, when the couplers are brought together and the slides 81 are projected outwardly.

Pivotally mounted in the casing on a pin 33, is a lever 13, having one end thereotconnected by a rod 34: to a piston35 and having pivot-ally connected thereto at a point near the other end of the lever, a plunger 36, which engages the end of a coil spring 3?", so that upon movement of the piston 85, by fluid under pressure, the lever 13 is rocked on the pin 33, to cause the plunger 36 to compress the spring 3?. Said spring is mounted in a outer end of which engages a' bearing-in the casing 30. v v

The lever 13 is provided with an arm 39 carrying a pin 40 adapted to engage in an elongated slot of a link 11, which'linl: is pivotally connected to the slide 31.

Assuming the couplers to be in the coupled position, as shown in F 2, in order toiuncouple, fluid under pressure is supplied through pipe 42 to piston 35 andsaid piston is then shifted rearwardly, rocking the lever 13, and thereby causing the plunger 36 to compress spring 38. At the same time,

arm 11 is tripped, a lever 13 is released and casing 88, the.

the pin it) is retracted, permitting the slide fl t" l moved rearwardly by the IC-iGtISG e described movement of lever its the arm 11, so that the hook pin as and thereby locks the uncoupled position, with spring compressed.

According to my invention, the interlock mechanism may comprise a casing l-l, adapted to be secured to the body portion of the car and air coupier, and containing valve 15, having a fluted valve stem 16 adapted to engage one end of a pivoted lever 17. The opposite end of the lever 17 is provided with a roller 18 adapted to engage the surface of a cam member 19 which is secured to the locking lever 1.

liston chamber 20 of the piston 9 is connected by a pipe 21 with valve chamber 2 and a fluted stem 23, associated and movable with the valve 15, controls communication viircn'i va ve chamber to a pipe Ql. leading to passage a; at a point intermediate the valve 7 and the gasket (5.

In operation, when the car and air conplers are brought together for coupling, the locking lever l is pushed back by engagement with the projection 25 ot' the counter part coupler head and in this n'iovement the cam member 19 acts through the roller 18 to rock the lever 17 and thereby cause the other end of the lever to engage and depress the valve stem 16 so as to open the valve 15.

In the act of coupling. the tappets 8 engage and open the valves 7, so that fluid under pressure is free to pass through the passage & from one coupler to the other. Fluid under pressure is then admitted to pipe 2i, but although the valve 15 is novv open, it. will be noted that communication through the flutes 01" the valve stem is cut oti and only such fluid as may leak past the solid portion of the stem can flow from pipe Q-lto valve chamber 22. Anyleakage 0t fluid past the solid portion of the stem 23 will escape past the open valve 15 at the exhaust port 25 and possible building up of pressure on piston 9 at this time is thus prevented. The leakage of fluid past the solid portion of the stem 23 is so slight that there no possible danger of causing a material reduction in brake pipe pressure.

Tr'hen the car and air couplers reach their fully coupled positions, the locking lever 1 moves back so as to engage the locking face 2 of the projection 3 of the counterpart coupler head and thereby hold the coupler heads securely locked together in the usual manner. it the same time, the cam member 19 is moved to the position shown in the drawing, permitting the lever 1'? to move so that the valve 15 is allowed to seat. soon as the valve 15 seats, fluid under pressure is supplied from pipe 2 to pipe thence to piston chamber it). The p' is thereupon operated by fluid under pro:- sure, causing tne stem 12 to en re and trip the arm 11 from engagement with the pin The stored up energ in spring 3'? than acts on lever 13 to project slide All and tieicctric contacts into cngageancnt with the corresponding contacts oi a coiuuerpa': t electric coupler head.

In addition to providing tor the 'Uh' ldlhl or fluid leaking past the stem 1:) in the :wt of couplin the valve 15 also operates to release fluid under pressure 'l'rom the ton 9 when cars are uncoupled. ince movement of the latch 1 "from its locking position, causes the cam 19 to operaie tin lever 17 so as to open the valve 15 and thu v vent fluid from piston 9 to exhaust port 1.}.

lVhen the car and air coupler is in the uncoupled position, the 'alve T is closed and the piston chamber 20 is connected to the atmosphere by way of valve chamber pipe 2-1 and passage l, which lS. open to the atmosphere at the gasket (5.

The cam member 19 is so designed th-u' the valve 15 cannot fully close until the loc ing lever 1 has substantially assumed the fully coupled position. as shown in the draving, so that the electric contacts can not be projected until the coupler heads anin the full coupled position.

Having novv described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Len ters Patent, is

1. The combination with a coupler ll:t\ iug a movable latch operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers tor loci-zinc said couplers in engagement. of an electric coupler locking device, a piston operate-.1 by fluid under pressure for relcasin said device, a valve ope ated by said lalt a for releasing fluid trom said piston, valve illtiiiir; also operated by said latch for conti'oll communication from av passage to said piton, and a valve opened upon the cumin? together of counteipart couplers 'l'or sup; ing fluid under pressure it said passage.

lllll 2. The combination with a emu-nor ing movable latch operated ing together of counterpart rt locking said couplers in engagtnucnt, ol an electric coupler locking device, a piston operated by fluid under pr are for releasing said device, a valve operated hv sail latch for releasing fluid -from said piston, valve means associated with said valve for controlling communication "front a pa: r to said piston, a valve opened upon the co: ing together 0 counterpart couplers to:- supplying fluid under pressure to said p; sage, said passage being connector to the atmosphere when the coupler is free from engagement with a counter aart coupler.

3. The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, of an electric train line coupler locking device, a piston operated by fluid'under pressure for reieasingsaiu device, means for supplying fluid under pressure to a passage as counterpart couplers are brought into engage ment, valve means operated upon movement of said latch to its locking position for connecting said passage to said piston, and a valve opened by said latch upon movement from its locking position for releasing fluid from said piston.

4a The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, of an electric train line coupler locking device, a piston operated by fluid under pressure for releasing said device, means for supplying fluid under pressure to a passage as counterpart couplers are brought into engagement, and valve means operated upon movement of said latch to its locking position for connecting said passage to said piston and upon movement from its locking position for releasing fluid from said piston and at the same time restricting the flow or" fluid under pressure to said piston.

5. The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, of an electric train line coupler locking device for restraining the projection of the electric coualer a iston o erated b fluid under 7 7 pressure for releasing said locking device, whereby the electric coupler is projected, and valve means controlled by said latch and operated only upon movement of said latch to its fully locked position for supplying fluid under pressure to said piston.

6. The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the'coming together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, of an electric train line coupler locking device for restraining the projection of the electric coupler, a piston operated by fluid under pressure for releasing said locking device, whereby the electric coupler is projected, a valve for controlling communication through which fluid under pressure is supplied to said piston, and means operated by the movement of said latch away from its locking position for operating said valve to close said communication.

7. The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the coming-together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, or" an electric train line coupler locking device for restraining the projection of the electric coupler, a piston operated by fluid under pressure for releasing said locking device, whereby the electric coupler is projected, a valve for controlling communication through which fluid under pressure is supplied to said piston, means operated by the movement of said latch away from its locking position for operating said valve to close said communication, and a spring for operating said valve to open said communication upon movement of said latch substantially to its fully locked position.

8. The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, of an electric train line coupler locking device for restraining the projection of the electric coupler, a piston operated by fluid under pressure for releasing said locking device, whereby the electriccoupler is projected, a valve operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for supplying fluid under pressure to a passage, valve means for controlling communication from said passage to said piston, and means for operating said valve means to open said com munication upon movement of said latch substantially to its fully locked position.

9. The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for lock-' ing said couplers in engagement, of an electric train line coupler locking device for re straining the projection of the electric coupler, a piston operated by fluid under pressure for releasing said locking device, whereby the electric coupler is projected, valve means for controlling communication from a fluid pressure supply passage to a chamber communicating with said piston, a valve for controlling communication from said chamber to the atmosphere, and means controlled by the movement of said latch for controlling the operation of said valve means and said valve.

10. The combination with a coupler having a movable latch operated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, of an electric train line coupler locking device for restraining the projection of the electric coupler, a piston operated by fluid under pressure for releasing said locking device, whereby the electric coupler is projected, valve means for controlling communication from a fluid pressure supply passage to a chamber communicating with said piston, a valve for controlling communication from said chamber to the atmosphere, and means controlled by the movement of said latch for controlling the operation of said valve means and said valve whereby said valve means closes communication from said passage to said chamber and said valve opens communication from said chamber'to the atniosphcre when said latch is away from its fully locked position.

11. 'll e combination with coupler having a movable latch op rated upon the coming together of counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in em: inent, of an electric train line coupler lP/Cnll device for restraining the projection of the electric coupler, a piston operzted by fluid under pressure for releasing said 1 rock ng rim-Er \VhGlGlrv' the electric coupler is projecteth valve means for controlling;- communication from a fluid pressure supplv passage to a chamber coninninicating with said piston, a alve for controlling communication from said chamber to the atmosphere, and means controlled by the movement of said latch for controlling the rriperation it said valve means and said valve whereby said valve means opens communication from s sage to said chamber and said. valve clo e; communication from said chainher to ihe atmosphere when sai latch moved Sill)- stantially to its fully closed position.

12. The combination with a c upler having a movable latch operated upon the coming together ot counterpart couplers for locking said couplers in engagement, 01'? valve means for controlling coninnniication from a fluid pressure supply passage to a chamher having an outlet passage, a valve niovahle with said valve means for controlling coinniuni *ation from said chainh r to the atmosphere, a lever for operating said valve and valve means, and a cam operated b said it trh for operating said lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS .H. 'lllOlLtrl. 

